Electric Fireplace Heater Having LED Flame Simulator

ABSTRACT

An electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator includes a main body, a light-guide unit, a roller unit, a plurality of LED light sources, and an electric heating device. The main body includes a frame and artificial logs. The light-guide unit is mounted inside of the main body and behind the artificial logs. The roller unit is mounted inside of the main body and behind the light-guide unit. The roller unit includes a rack, and a cylinder provided with patterned apertures and driven to rotate by a motor. One of the LED light sources is disposed under the artificial logs to simulate burning woods and one of the LED light sources is disposed inside of the cylinder. The light emitted by the LED light source passes through the patterned apertures of the cylinder and is projected onto the light-guide unit, thereby presenting images of simulated flames.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heater having an apparatus forsimulating flames, and in particular to an electric fireplace heaterhaving an LED flame simulator.

2. The Prior Arts

An electric fireplace heater brings warmth and a cozy feeling to a room.The conventional electric fireplace heater is designed to look like atraditional wood burning fireplace, but does not actually burn wood.However, regular bulbs in the conventional fireplace heater illuminatealuminum pieces on a rotating twisted rod to generate flickering flameimages, and artificial logs to generate the appearance of burning logs,thereby closely simulating the real flames.

This type of conventional fireplace heater uses regular bulbs toilluminate. The light bulbs are gradually reducing their light output,and the flame images generated by the light are gradually darkening. Inanother respect, the light bulbs are operated at high temperatures afterlong time use. It shortens the life of the light bulbs and lowers theefficiency of the light bulbs. Moreover, the flame is simulated byreflecting light from aluminum pieces on the rotating rod to a screen.The flame images are monotonous and boring. Therefore the practicabilityand aesthetics limit the application of the conventional fireplaceheater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to improve the unrealistic and boring simulated flames of theconventional fireplace heater, a fireplace heater according to thepresent invention provides bright and realistic simulated flames,simulated burning logs and blown-out warm air.

The solution of the present invention is to provide an electricfireplace heater having an LED flame simulator, which includes a mainbody, a light-guide unit, a plurality of LED light sources, and a rollerunit. The main body is a case and includes a frame and artificial logsdisposed inside the frame. The light-guide unit includes a light-guideplate disposed in the main body and behind the artificial logs. The LEDlight source includes a rod, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes(LED's) that are mounted on the rod and are connected with electricwires. One set of LED light sources is disposed beneath the artificiallogs. The roller unit includes a rack disposed inside the main body andbehind the light-guide plate, and a hollow cylinder with patternedapertures. One end of the cylinder is connected with a motor mounted onthe rack. One of LED light sources is mounted on the rack and enclosedinside the cylinder.

When the motor drives the cylinder to rotate, the light emitted by theLED's is projected onto the light-guide plate through the patternedapertures on the cylinder. The artificial logs are also illuminated bythe LED's. Thus, the flickering flame appears on the light-guide plateand the artificial logs look like burning woods. In order to make theflame more realistic, the cylinder according to the present inventioncan be a transparent tube wrapped with a red glassine, a yellow glassineand a sheet of paper. The paper includes patterned apertures shaped inflame-like S, lightning bolt, etc. The white light and/or other colorlight emitted by LCD's are projected through the patterned apertures ofthe cylinder and the shapes of the patterned apertures are projectedonto the light-guide plate, thereby generating the images of flickeringflames. Otherwise, the light-guide plate dyed red, yellow or othercolors similar to the flame can replace the glassines wrapped on thecylinder, and achieve the same simulated effect of the flickeringflames.

In addition, a heating device is mounted on the main body. The heatingdevice includes heating wires, a switch and a blower to deliver heat tothe environment. Thus, the fireplace heater according to the presentinvention provides a realistic simulation of flickering flames and haswarm air blown out just like a wood burning fireplace.

The electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator according tothe present invention has the following advantages. First of all, thefireplace heater according to the present invention has a heatingfunction similar to that of a real wood burning fireplace. The fireplaceheater can be placed in the fireplace or any place in the room.Secondly, the fireplace heater use LED's as light source. The LED'sproduce more light per watt than regular light bulbs, save energy andhave a long life span. Thirdly, LED's project light upon artificial logsmade of translucent material from below, thereby presenting a morerealistic burning log appearance. Fourthly, LED's project light throughthe patterned apertures of the cylinder upon the light-guide plate,thereby present simulated flickering flames. The simulated flickeringflames and red hot logs generate a wood burning image. Fifthly,components of the fireplace heater are modularized. It is easy andconvenient to repair or replace a damaged module. Sixthly, thecomponents of the fireplace heater are environmental friendly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art byreading the following detailed description of a preferred embodimentthereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric fireplace heater havingan LED flame simulator in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the electric fireplace heater inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view showing the electric fireplace heaterin operation; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the electric fireplace heater placedin a fireplace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric fireplace heater having an LEDflame simulator in accordance with the present invention includes a mainbody 1, a light-guide unit 2, a roller unit 3, a plurality of LED lightsources 4, and an electric heating device 6.

The main body 1 is a case made of wood or metal plate. The main body 1includes a frame 11 and artificial logs 12 disposed at a bottom of theframe 11. The artificial logs are made of plastic or other translucentmaterial. The light-guide unit 2, the roller unit 3 and LED lightsources 4 are disposed inside the main body 1. A cover 5 is mounted at aback of the main body and seals the light-guide unit 2, the roller unit3 and LED light sources 4 in the main body 1.

The light-guide unit 2 is disposed behind the artificial logs 12 anddivides the space inside the main body 1 into a front space and a rearspace. The artificial logs 12 are disposed in the front space and theroller unit 3 is disposed in the rear space. The light-guide unit 2includes a light-guide plate having a transparent plate 21 and a mattetranslucent film 22 attached to a back surface of the transparent plate21. The transparent plate 21 is transparent or translucent. Thetransparent plate 21 may be made of glass or acrylic glass.

The roller unit 3 is disposed inside the main body 1 and behind thelight-guide unit 2. The roller unit 3 includes a rack 31, a motor 32, anaxle sleeve 34 mounted on an axle of the motor 32, a fixing cap 35 and acylinder 33. The rack 31 is a narrow U shaped frame and made of metal.The rack 31 includes a pair of brackets 311. The axle sleeve 34 is ringshaped and includes a plurality of ribs at the circumference thereof.The diameter of the fixing cap 35 is slightly larger than that of thecylinder 33, and the fixing cap has an engaging notch (not shown in thefigures) at the center thereof. The cylinder 33 is a transparent tubewrapped in a red glassine and a yellow glassine which generate the colorof the flames. A thick sheet of glossy paper or plastic, which includesvarious patterned apertures 331 to simulate flames, is wrapped aroundthe glassiness The patterned apertures may be in thunderbolt shapes orin S shapes. The light-guide unit 2 may be dyed in red, yellow, or othercolors similar to the color of the flames to replace the glassiness

The LED light source 4 includes a rod 41 and a plurality oflight-emitting diodes (LED's) 42, which are mounted on the rod andconnected with electric wires and a switch. The switch can turn on andoff and control brightness of the LED's 42. The colors of the emittedlight by the LED's 42 can be any colors.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the U-shaped rack 31 is mounted on the mainbody 1 and behind the light-guide unit 2. The axle sleeve 34 is tightlyfitted into one end of the cylinder 33 and the ribs of the axle sleeve34 are contacted with the inner surface of the cylinder 33. One end ofthe LED light source 4 is tightly fitted into the notch of the fixingcap 35, and the rod 41 faces the light-guide unit 2 at a 45-degreeangle. The motor 32 is then mounted on the rack 31. The axle of themotor 32 passes through the brackets 311 and is connected with the axlesleeve 34, which is fitted into the cylinder 33. Thus, a first end ofthe cylinder 33 is connected with the motor 32. The LED light source 4tightly fitted into the fixing cap 35 is inserted into a second end ofthe cylinder 33. The fixing cap 35 loosely covers the second end of thecylinder 33 and stays stationary without rotating with the cylinder 33.The fixing cap 35 is then fixed on the bracket 311 by screws. Therefore,the roller unit 3 and the LED light source 4 are assembled together. TheLED light source 4 is stationary and the cylinder 33 can be driven torotate by the motor 32.

The electric heating device 6 is mounted on the main body 1. Theelectric heating device 6 includes a blower to send out the warm airfrom air outlet 61 and a control panel 62 to control the speed andtemperature setting of the warm air.

When the electric fireplace heater having the LED flame simulatoraccording to the present invention is in operation, the axle of themotor 32 drives the axle sleeve 34 to rotate. Because the axle sleeve 34is tightly fitted into the cylinder 33, the cylinder 33 is driven torotate. When the LED light source 4 is turned on, the light emitted bythe LED's 42 is projected onto the light-guide plate through thepatterned apertures 331 on the cylinder 33. Thus, the shapes of thepatterned apertures are cast to form flame images on the light-guideunit 2. Because the rod 41 faces the light-guide unit 2 at a 45-degreeangle, the images cast on the light-guide unit 2 are larger than thoseat other angles. The rotating cylinder 33 makes the images of the flamesprojected on the light-guide unit 2 to move to and fro. Thus, it lookslike flickering flames. Referring to FIG. 2, the LED light source 4disposed under the artificial logs 12 illuminates the light-perviousartificial logs 12, which simulates real blazing logs and makes thesimulated flames more realistic. The brightness of the LED light sources4 behind the light-guide unit 2 and under the artificial logs 12 can becontrolled synchronized. The multiple cylinders 33 are possible. Thefireplace heater may include a plurality of cylinders 33, therebyinterlacing the flame images from various cylinders 33. The images ofthe flames will be more realistic.

Referring to FIG. 4, the electric fireplace heater according to thepresent invention includes the main body 1, the artificial logs 12disposed inside the main body 1, the light-guide unit 2 behind theartificial logs 12 and the electric heating device 6. When the electricfireplace heater is in operation, the heater presents the simulated redburning artificial logs 12 and flickering flame images on thelight-guide unit 2, and blows out warm air from the electric heatingdevice 6. Therefore, the electric fireplace heater having the LED flamesimulator according to the present invention flickers and glows like thereal thing, and brings warmth to the room.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications and changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention which is intended tobe defined by the appended claims.

1. An electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator,comprising a main body, which is a case, comprising a frame andartificial logs disposed inside the frame; a light-guide unit comprisinga light-guide plate disposed inside the main body and behind theartificial logs; a roller unit comprising a rack mounted in the mainbody and behind the light-guide unit, a motor mounted on one end of therack, and a hollow cylinder having a plurality of patterned aperturesmounted on the rack and rotatably connected with the motor at one endthereof; a plurality of LED light sources comprising a rod and aplurality of LED's mounted on the rod, wherein one of the LED lightsource disposed under the artificial logs and the another LED lightsource disposed inside of the cylinder; and an electric heating devicecomprising heating wires, a blower and a switch, and mounted on the mainbody; wherein the motor drives the cylinder to rotate; the light emittedby the LED's passes through the patterned aperture and the shapes of thepatterned apertures are projected onto the light-guide plate to simulateflickering flames; and the LED's illuminate the artificial logs tosimulate burning woods.
 2. The electric fireplace heater as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the light-guide plate comprises a transparent plate anda matte translucent film attached to a back surface of the transparentplate.
 3. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, whereinan axle sleeve is tightly fitted in an end of the cylinder close to themotor and a fixing cap is mounted on an end of the rack far away fromthe motor; one end of the rod of the LED light source disposed inside ofthe cylinder is connected with the fixing cap; and the axle sleeve isconnected with an axle of the motor.
 4. The electric fireplace heater asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder comprises a tube wrapped in aplurality of glassines; a sheet of wrapping layer having the patternedapertures is wrapped around the glassiness.
 5. The electric fireplaceheater as claimed in claim 4, wherein the patterned apertures are invarious thunderbolt shapes and randomly distributed on the wrappinglayer.
 6. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, whereinthe patterned apertures are in various S shapes and randomly distributedon the wrapping layer.
 7. The electric fireplace heater as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the LED light source emits white light.
 8. The electricfireplace heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the LED light sourceemits white light.
 9. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim1, wherein the LED light source emits red light.
 10. The electricfireplace heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the LED light sourceemits red light.
 11. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim1, wherein the artificial logs are made of a material pervious to light.12. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein thewrapping layer is made of paper.
 13. The electric fireplace heater asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the wrapping layer is made of plastics.